Edwaed h



(No Model.)

E. H. JOHNSON.

GOUPLING DEVICE EUR ELEGTRIGAL GONDUGTORS. No. 264.29'8f Patented Sept. 12, `1882.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

Lem/M V 55.54/ MM BY 9W-s ATTORNEYS.

UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOE OF ONE-HALF IO SIGMUND BERGMANN, OF SAME PLACE. t

CouPLme DEviCE FCR ELECTRICAL CoNDUCToRs.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 264,298, dated September 12, 1882,

Application filed November 28, 1881.

To alt whom it may concern Bc it known that I, EDWARD H. J oHNsoN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coupling Devices for Electrical Conductors; and I do hereby de` clare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. i

The object of my invention is to produce means for joining the ends ot' wires in electrical circuits, which shall do away with the expense and inconvenience of soldering them to- I 5 gether, shall insure a reliable and lasting contact between the two wires, and shall so fasten them that they cannot be pulled apart. l attain these objects by the use of devices substantially as lfollows: The ends of the wires which are to be connected are laid in a suitable receptacle, so that they (the wires) are partly inclosed at their sides, such receptacle being a metal or other cup whose sides have apertures to admit the ends of the wires, or a z5 groove or cavity cut in a block of wood or other material, or any suitable inclosure. Between the wires, whose ends must be bared of insulation, is placed the apex of a conical or wedge-shaped metal piece, which maybe the4 beveled head o f a screw, the screw portion passing through the bottom of the receptacle, or a beveled washer placed beneath the head of such screw. The wires are ground down and their surfaces polished, so that good con- 3 5 tact is made between them through the washer and screw.

Devices illustrating my invention are shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure l isa plan view, showing a metal cup with the wires laid therein and clamped down by a screw and washer. Fig. 2 is a sectional view oi the device before the wires are clamped tightly down, and Fig. 3 a perspective view similar to Fig. l. 4 5 Similar letters refer to similar parts throu ghout the several views.

The metal cup spoken of consists of a bottom plate, a, and side walls, b b, it being left open on two sides opposi te each other. Screws e (No model.)

are used to attach the device to a wall orother 5oA body.

l 2 are the wires laid within the cup.

d is a beveled washer, placed beneath the beveled head ot' the screw c. The upper portion of the washer lits closely between the sides d aof the cup. The screw c being screwed down through the screw-holefin the bottom of the cup, the washer d forces the wires apart, bending them outwardly and pressing them tightly between the washer and the sides of the 6o cup, electrical connection being made through the washer, screw, and cup. As the wires partly encircle the washer, it is impossible to pull them out.

It is evident that the washer d may be dispensed with if the screw-head is large enough to fill the exterior receptacle. It is also evident that the latter need not be ol' metal, as connection would be made through the screw or washer, or both. Y 7o The groove might be cut in a block ot' wood or other material, the wires laid therein, and a beveled screw forced down between them; or, instead of the sides b `b of the cup, there might simply be four studs or posts, two on each side of the wires, the wires being forced out between them.

Many other modications might ot' course be made without departing from the "spirit of my invention.

lBy the invention above described a junction of the wires is made which, while elective and permanent, is cheaply and easily formed, requiring no especial skill to make it, as all that is necessary to insure perfect contact is to drive the screw in as tightly and closely as possible.

I do not claim broadly a device for joining y the ends of metallic wires or bands, consisting of an exterior supporting-case and a wedge h9o driven or placed in between the wires or bands and adapted to force them against the exterior case and to retain them in position, as such'a device broadly has hitherto been used.

What I claim isl. In a device i'orjoining the ends of wires, the combination, with exterior supports adapted to receive said ends and provided with a screw-threaded aperture, of a bevel-headed l This specification signed and witnessed this 1o sorew,rsnbstantially as and for the purposes 19th day of September, 1881. set forth. l

2. In a device for joining the ends of Wires, EDWARD H. JOHNSON. the combination, with exterior supports for said wires, of a bevel-headed screw and bev- Vitnesses: eled washer and means for retaining the bevel- H. WV. SEELY, headed screw in position, substantially as and BICI-ID. N. DYER.

for the purpose set forth. 

